"Wise and purposeful letting alone"

Charlotte Mason said,

"We ought to do so much for our children, and are able to do so much for them, that we begin to think everything rests with us and that we should never intermit for a moment our conscious action on the young minds and hearts about us. Our endeavours become fussy and restless. We are too much with our children, 'late and soon.' We try to dominate them too much, even when we fail to govern, and we are unable to perceive that wise and purposeful letting alone is the best part of education."

fussy - worrying over trivial things, overly concerned about minor details, choosy, easily upset, requiring excessive attention to detail

restless - constantly moving, unable to be still, seeking a change because of discontent, worrying

Definitions help to give form to what CM was saying in the quote above. I am thinking much these days on the concept of masterly inactivity as it relates to homeschooled high schoolers. I want to define what it means in this phase of homeschooling. As our children have matured intellectually and morally we have certainly let them alone in an intentional way. Such letting alone has engendered creativity and initiative on their parts. It has also fostered a sweetness in our relationships that would be lacking if we were the fussy, restless, hovering types.

But I know that my letting alone has not always been wise and purposeful. Certainly I have stepped back at times out of frustration, confusion, ignorance, or weariness. I am working these days to evaluate my level of involvement and consider the question, "When do I step in and when step back?"

Yes, I have already gone through high school with three, almost four, homeschoolers. But the two still at home deserve my continuing thoughtfulness and I am quite sure I have room, as a homeschooling mother, to grow in wisdom.